Spread Art is an artist-run creative incubator designed to foster new work through residencies & collaborations with artists, curators & organizations throughout the world.

Installation

September 18, 2013

Spread Art has invited Shua Goup in collabortation with visual artist Sylvestre Gobart (Brussels) for a three week residency to reconstruct their site specific work, "Soft Wall".

Soft Wall is an audience interactive performance created by Shua Group in collaboration with visual artist Sylvestre Gobart (Brussels). Soft Wall is driven by a silent proposition to the audience which creates/facilitates the performance and radically transforms the visual space. As the performance unfolds the identity of performer and spectator are questioned, roles shift, and the watchers become the watched.

Soft Wall is adapted to each city/locale it is realized based on cultural contexts. The performance is followed by a visual installation, which is in part created by the action.

Shua Group creates movement based artworks which encourage deep listening, human exchange, and spatial and perceptual transformation. The group's works include mass performances in public spaces, audience interactive events and site-specific and stage dance. Projects are built through choreography, improvisational structures, field recorded sound, and interactions with objects, sites and geography.

Sylvestre Gobart is a Brussels-based visual artist working in the media of photography and video. Formally, his research in photography is focused on the relation between the topic in which he is working and the material he uses, which gives resonance to the idea of the work. He has had solo shows at Galeria sol Del Rio Guatemala, Bienale d Art contemporain de Dakar, Dakar, at ARTEBA in Buenos Aires, Argentina with the gallery ARTE x ARTE.

Dinner, drinks and lively conversation exploring the ideas and intersections of creative process, repurposing buildings, local community engagement and citywide development. Facilitated by Spread Art and featuring Laura Quattrocchi and Joshua Bisset, John J George, Mitch McEwen, and James Willer.

July 15, 2013

Saturday, August 3rd Spread Art presents "Unilateral Spying Against Patriotic Americans. This
Really Is Offensive To All Citizens Targeted (Irrelevant Of
Nationality)." USA PATRIOT ACT(ION), a new work from Remote Control Tomato. The 1 hour interactive video, sound and performance installation will be presented as part of Sidewalk Festival for the Performing Arts.

An initiative of Spread Art, Remote
Control Tomato draws together the work of Thomas Bell
(sound art, visual art) and me (multimedia, visual art) to create immersive environments. Mixing a variety of technologies,
performances rely on improvisation and often invite public
participation.

This brand new body of work explores systems of humor,
social and sexual themes.
The
intricate sculptures featured in this exhibition combine facsimiles of common
everyday objects and figures into darkly humorous, sexually charged, dreamlike
totems and tableaux.

In
the site specific installation "Grim
Reaper" a figure camouflaged almost
completely by household plants guards a large scale abstract sculpture.
Reminiscent of ancient Egyptian statuary and architecture this piece
borrows snippets of its vernacular from far flung corners of popular culture
and art history. One can see references to artists Nick Cave, Tom
Friedman and Tony Smith, along with references to stereotypical "women's
interests" gardening, fitness, and protecting the sanctuary of home.
Both absurd and haunting, Matson leads the viewer subtly into a
surreal tableaux via exaggeration and misinformation: errors in the hard lines
of branding logos, distorted body parts and jarring coloration.
Using a limited palette of commercially manufactured colored paper
and household construction materials, Matson creates dream-like shadow
selves of the world we know.

In
her "Tickle" sculptures,
Matson employs geometric plaster forms, handmade plaster bananas and paper
ferns to create delightfully humorous and sexually charged totems. These
smaller scale sculptures are complimented by entertaining and macabre drawings,
which delve further into the surreal miasma of Matson's psyche.

Michelle Matson (b. 1981) received her BFA from the School of Visual Arts, New
York in 2005. Her work has been featured in numerous solo and group
exhibitions in New York and Los Angeles including the Zach Feuer Project Space,
Postmasters Gallery, Stux Gallery, Flux Factory, Youth Group Gallery, Kravets
Wehby Gallery, China Art Objects, Family Business Gallery and the Torrance Art
Museum. In 2011, she was selected to compete on the internationally syndicated
Bravo reality television series "Work of Art, The Next Great Artist".
Matson was recently awarded a residency at Yaddo. Her work is
currently on view at The Parlour, Brooklyn, NY.

Spread Art is an artist-run creative incubator
designed to foster new works through residencies and collaborations with
artists, curators, and organizations from around the world. Spread Art supports
emerging artists through residencies, group and solo exhibitions, music events,
and performance showcases, and also facilitates opportunities for youth and
adults to explore their creativity and increase self-awareness through art.
Spread Art supports the creation and evolution of art festivals and cultural
collaborations locally, nationally, and internationally. www.spreadart.or

Playground Detroit is a
non-profit creative platform whose mission is to enhance Detroit’s artistic
reputation by connecting artists, entrepreneurs, and influencers to opportunities
within international art markets. By establishing a link between artistic
communities in these cities, Playground Detroit seeks to inspire, elevate, and
power leading lights of America’s creative economy. Through the presentation of
inspirational art, engaging online media, powerful music, provocative
educational events, and unique residency opportunities, Playground Detroit
promotes artists, investment, and effective action for growth in Detroit’s
internationally connected arts community. www.playgrounddetroit.com

Whitdel Arts: A division of CAID, Whitdel Arts is an 1800 sq. ft.
professional exhibition space that showcases the work of local and
international established and emerging artists. Whitdel Arts is located at 1250
Hubbard Street, Suite B1, Detroit MI 48209. Whitdel Arts is also located on the
web at www.whitdelarts.com

As always, the Wynwood district will be full of street art, murals, galleries, people, food and all night extravaganzas. Other fairs Spread Art will be hitting up include, Select, NADA, Context, Miami Project, Pool, Verge.

Spread Art has been busy preparing for an abundance of creativity 2013. Here's a quick look into next year:

Expanded Residency Opportunities:Spread Art recently purchased a house in SW Detroit that we are rehabbing for artist residencies, as well as exhibitions and performances. The combination of the existing space at 2572 Michigan and the new house in SW Detroit opens a world of new possibilities. Its too soon to tell exactly what will manifest from the abundance of space, but we know that 2013 will see Spread Art facilitating more artists' work in Detroit and beyond.

The ‘You Are Here’ festival, takes place in New York City approximately once every two years. The festival consists of 4 weeks of performance and time- based arts events in a life size maze installation.

Trouble, Sam Hillmer and Laura Paris – the art duo responsible for ‘You Are Here’ - designs and builds an actual maze into a gallery space accompanied by light, projections, sound, sculpture, and of course, a myriad of performance and time-based arts events.

The ‘You Are Here’ festival interrupts the performance rituals of the arts communities it inhabits. Artists who present are, primarily, members of these communities. Audience members arrive at ‘You Are Here’ with the intention of catching a particular presentation, but intentions are frustrated and transformed by the labyrinthine construction the festival provides. Artists and audiences alike are invited to question the expectations that arise around performance in the context of community.

July 08, 2012

After 4 and ½ years of successful exhibitions, events, workshops, and residencies, Spread Art has wrapped up activities at 104 Meserole Street in Brooklyn as of July 1st 2012. It has been an amazing time with many wonderful memories and we would like to thank all of the artists who were a part of Spread Art’s events, exhibitions and residencies during our time in Brooklyn. As one door closes however, another is opening and in a big way. Spread Art has moved its headquarters to Detroit and has taken on a much larger physical space. This transition enables Spread Art to continue working in collaboration with artists and spaces throughout Brooklyn and New York City, while also expanding operations and activities in Detroit.

Spread Art Detroit - 2572 Michigan Ave -- July 2012

In January 2012, Spread Art laid down roots in Detroit’s creative Southwest district and now occupies a new 4000 sq ft creative space available for residencies, workshops, classes, events, performances and exhibitions. The new Spread Art location is housed in a 3- story turn of the century storefront space on Michigan Ave and 18th St in the historic Corktown neighborhood, minutes from downtown and two blocks away from the renowned Michigan Central Station.

Co-Directors, Thomas Bell and Christina deRoos are hard at work getting the new space set up and ready for use. The ground floor offers an 900 sq ft light filled multi-use space space with a full wall of mirrors that is perfect for dance, yoga and other social gatherings. In addition to 20 ft ceilings the ground floor storefront offers two rather large window installations that will certainly be changing often. The downstairs space is comprised of a 1600 sq ft gallery and performance space with an 18ft bar, projector and sound system, a 350 sq ft residency room, 750 sq ft of studio space, a bathroom, washer and dryer and the Spread Art offices.

Over the next few weeks we will be announcing our residency opportunities beginning in the fall of 2012, updating our website and posting information about new partnerships that are developing with organizations in Detroit.

The former Spread Art location at 104 Meserole is in the exceptionally creative and capable hands of Esther Neff and Brian McCorkle of Panoply Performance Laboratory, and Valerie Kuehne of SuperCoda. Esther, Brian and Valerie were the final three Spread Art ‘Artists-In-Residence’ at the 104 Meserole St location in Brooklyn (May - June 2012).

The Compendium invites these artists to research their relationships with technology, technicalities, and technics. Artists across disciplines manipulate, access, and utilize objects and systems, interacting with technics that are present in performance situations, both as part of the technicalities of presentation, and as instruments, tools, devices, visibility and amplification aids, and as part of documentation, methodological means, and aesthetic and political vehicles.

We ask, how do artists use technical means to their ends? How are techniques and technology related and/or unrelated? How are technics/technology/techniques developed and chosen as part of artistic practice, using what kinds of concerns? Who has access to technology and techniques/technics and how do they commodify/become commodified and/or de-commodify/become de-commoditized?

In an exploration of these considerations, artists will present work to the public during two nights:

Friday June 22: Hiroshi Shafer, Alejandro Acierto, Lindsey Drury, Charmaine Names, Ivy Castellanos, Amy Wexler and Sister Sylvester will perform in the CPR spaces in the absence of colloquially-defined “technology,” sans electricity, sans amplification, stripping the work of all forms of technics, even in some cases, attempting to perform without “technique.” Audiences must be present in the space to experience the work. Documentation will consist of written descriptions.

Saturday, June 23: Lindsey Drury, Sister Sylvester, Jorge Rojas, Rafael Sanchez, Anya Liftig, Jessica Pavone, Ivy Castellanos, Whitney Hunter, and Alejandro Acierto have access to CPR’s “cutting edge” technological array, including multiple projectors, sound system, and lighting grid, and may bring in their own technological devices, set-ups, electronics, and mechanisms. Audiences may view streamed performances from computers all over the world and performances will be documented on digital video.

A public round-table discussion on Saturday, June 23rd at 4pm will allow us to reflect on the collective research performed, involving the artists from the project and including other voices in live performance. Come be a part and see these incredible artists present new work!

About the Compendium

Over the course of 2012, The Compendium initiative will experiment with hybrid modes of curation, exchange, and presentation, producing exhibitions, performances, publications, and more.

The Compendium is comprised of artists who are deeply engaged with their communities. Organizing both as artists and as directors of alternative arts spaces, curators, members of ensembles and collectives, arts writers, and as agents of cultural influence, we form a “living compendium” to channel multiple agendas, intentions, and ideas into concrete support for artists and grassroots arts organizations.

Beginning on Saturday at 1pm, “The Parade of Art” will gather outside the Morgan stop L train on Bogart st and make its way to The Animamus Art Salon at the Starr Street Studios above the Bushwick Starr (207 Starr St 3rd floor) Come Join the Parade of Art Work and the ‘Speaker of the Dead’ gypsy brass folk punk band as we march throughout the neighborhood. To participate please email: Thomas@spreadart.org.

“Live Stream Interviews” will be happening during “The Parade of Art” as well as in and around the Morgan L stop on Saturday from 3pm to 4pm and on Sunday between 12 and 7pm enjoy, "Speading Art Outdoors. Join Spread Art Founder and Co-Director, Thomas Bell as he interviews festival attendees, artists and just about anyone else he sees on the streets. You can watch the Live Stream Feed on Spread Art’s U-Stream Channel. http://www.ustream.tv/channel/spread-art-bklyn

Begun at the first Bushwick Open Studios in 2006 and continued for Beta Spaces in 2009, for the third installment of “Bushwick Is…”, let us know what Bushwick is! When you see the “Live Stream Interviews” happening, that is your time to let Spread Art and the world know what you think “Bushwick Is…” in 2012.

There will be also be Live Performances both days in and around the Morgan L train stop!

Beginning on Saturday at 1pm, “The Parade of Art” will gather outside the Morgan L train stop on Bogart St and march to The Animamus Art Salon at the Starr Street Studios above the Bushwick Starr (207 Starr St 3rd floor) Come Join the Parade of Art Work and the ‘Speaker of the Dead’ gypsy brass folk punk band as we march throughout the neighborhood. Live Performances along the way! The Parade of Art will also be streamed live to the internet. You can watch the Live Stream Feed on Spread Art’s U-Stream Channel. http://www.ustream.tv/channel/spread-art-bklyn

July 25, 2011

As part of the Summer Group Show IV, The Tronic performed at 20min set of improvised sonic environments with Circut Bent instuments and plenty of looping. Live video manipulation and projection by Christina deRoos. Anya Liftig also performed a 15min solo work. Watch both videos below!